Checklist: backing up MP3's

[nick_27]

I want to backup mp3 music files from an older (2004) Dell Dimension desktop.

I need, of course, to buy blank media recommended on this site. I assume DVD-R single layer is the best option.

Also, have to buy a compatible external DVD burner. One that comes with burning software would be nice. This is the only function I'm going to use it for.

Am I missing any key points here? I have a lot of files and want to minimize my chance of mistakes.
Thanks for a very informative site.

[admin]

Alright, checklist.

#1 - Good media. Buy Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden, find great deals on blank discs at http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-media.htm -- burn 16x media @ 12x speed for the best and most reliable "archival quality" burns.

#2 - Good burner. Buy a full-sized 16x+ speed Samsung or Pioneer DVD burner. Don't get one of those crappy 8x "slim" jobs, as they're not very good. There's a great Pioneer external DVD burner available from Geeks, refurbished for $40 (model DVR-X162Q, find it with a site search, or by looking up DVD burners on the site menu there). If you insist on new drives only, then Newegg is a good place to look.

#3 - Software. Never buy hardware because of the included software. Buy hardware because it's good hardware. In almost all cases, the software is limited/crippled in some ways, and you have to buy the expensive version to get "advanced" (translation: basic) features. Forget software even comes in the box, you're often best off NOT installing it! All the software you need is listed at http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/show...1011#post11011 -- and almost all of it is free.

So you're looking at about $40-50 for a drive, $25 for a 100-pack of discs, $0 for software. Not too bad at all, all things considered. If you had just trotted into Walmart or Best Buy, you'd probably have paid double that, and for inferior products.

Hope that helps.

[nick_27]

It helped a great deal, thanks much. Clarified things greatly. My head was spinning reading through articles and posts on other sites. I think this is one reason people don't back up.

One quick question about making second "insurance" copies: would there be any advantage at all to using "+R" discs if say you're using "-R" for the primary backup?

Walgreens has Maxell DVD-R's and DVD+R's, I believe in packs of three and twenty. Would these be adequate for secondary backups?

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

[admin]

I would not buy Maxell branded media, no. Those are generally very low-graded CMC or RITEK media, and coasters are common. How common depends on the drive and firmware, or just the randomness of the disc's inherent blank quality. It's not reliable media for backing up data or archiving anything.

Any good backup policy relies on more than one method of storage. To keep a primary archive on good DVD-R media (Taiyo Yuden, for example), and a secondary copy on good DVD+R media (Verbatim, for example), is good policy. So yes, your idea about an "insurance" copy is sound. Store them in separate locations for even better "insurance". This can range from one spindle on a shelf, and another in a closet/drawer, to storing the second one at a different physical location entirely (at your parent's house, for example).

You'll find a lot of weird advice on a lot of sites, yes. A lot of those places are inhabited by kooks and average Joes with limited knowledge and strange ideas on how things work. You'll find quite a few posts here where we have to type "NO DON'T DO THAT!" in response to somebody asking about odd/harmful advice they read elsewhere. As media professionals, you'll find much of our advice is well-researched and practical. Glad that you found your way here, and I hope to get your burning those backups quickly and with a good method.

Thanks.